Man walks again, teaches special students after paralyzing car accident

Ronnie "Tre" Lawson, a 26-year-old educator and author from Macon, sustained a spinal cord injury in a devastating car accident when he was 17. The accident happened as he and a friend were driving home from a summer track meet; his friend fell asleep at the wheel, causing the car to leave the road and plummet into a 30-foot ravine.  Lawson suffered severe injuries, including a brain injury, abdominal injuries, and an incomplete T12-L1 spinal cord injury. He recalled that his seat belt "basically broke me in half," which shifted his backbone onto his spinal cord and resulted in a loss of feeling from the waist down. According to Lawson, he felt his life had ended in the months following the accident. “I didn’t honestly want to live at that period of time," he told 11 Alive. "I was truthfully thinking of different ways to take myself out of the world, but gratefully, God’s faith kept me here as well as the prayers of my friends and family." READ ALSO: Man survives rare condition that left him paralyzed According to Lawson, his time at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta involved therapy that enabled him to adapt to life with a disability and regain the ability to perform everyday tasks. Lawson stated that his recovery, which is still ongoing, has surpassed the initial expectations of his doctors. “Today I can walk with a walker. I can walk with forearm crutches. I can walk. I can stand with a cane,” he remarked. “I can’t take much steps, but at least I have the opportunity and the ability to stand with a cane.” Since the accident, Lawson has achieved significant academic success. He graduated with honors from Fort Valley State University, earning degrees in both early childhood and special education. He is currently pursuing a master's program at Louisiana State University. He started teaching in February 2021 and currently works in special education at Southfield Elementary School in Macon, where he teaches students in kindergarten and first grade. “I enjoy every day I get to go to the classroom and see the smiling faces as well as getting the hugs and the different relationships that you build with the students,” Lawson noted.  READ ALSO: 3-year-old relearns to walk after 15-story fall from apartment balcony: ‘Definitely a miracle baby’ Lawson said he was very satisfied with his job, explaining that the classroom brings him great happiness. “I love my job. I would never trade it for anything in the world,” Lawson expressed. In his book, “The Hurdle That Broke Me,” released in January, Lawson shares the story of his life leading up to and following his debilitating car crash. He hopes readers will find a connection with his journey of overcoming loss, confronting mental health issues, and demonstrating resilience. Lawson powerfully conveys the message that although his body was “broken in half physically,” his emotional and mental spirit remained whole. "If I’m breathing, then it’s not over,” Lawson declared. “If you’re still breathing, you still have an opportunity to grow.” Lawson plans to open his own school in his hometown of Macon, hoping to call it Roll of Hope Academy. His long-term educational goal is to provide new opportunities for students in the area. READ ALSO: Boy hit while saving sister from Philly plane crash learns to walk again after doctors said he wouldn’t